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Price Gouging Status

Joe Doyle, Administrator, announced settlements that have been reached to date as a result of recent gasoline price-gouging investigations conducted by the Governor’s Office of Consumer Affairs (OCA).  OCA began the investigation of price gouging immediately after Governor Perdue’s Executive Order of September 12, 2008.

Under Georgia law, price-control statutes are activated upon the Governor’s declaration of a state of emergency.  During the declared state of emergency, businesses may not sell any goods or services necessary to protect the health, safety or property of citizens at prices higher than the prices at which those same goods or services were offered before the declaration of a state of emergency.  The only exception allowed is if the business can document that the price was increased only in an amount which accurately reflects an increase in the cost of the goods or services to the person selling the goods or services or an increase in the cost of transporting the goods or service into the area.  Absent a declared state of emergency, competition and demand drive prices in our free-market economy.

“As I said during Hurricane Katrina in 2005, the Governor and his Office of Consumer Affairs take the issue of price-gouging very seriously and will continue to be vigilant now and in the future,” said Administrator Doyle. 

As of October 1st, 147 cases have been resolved - 53 with a finding of no price gouging and 94 with a finding of price gouging.  Cases were evaluated on the individual facts, and the settlements with violators included fines, consumer restitution or both.  All fines collected were deposited in the State treasury.  If a gas station operator was required to provide consumer restitution, he or she had to post signage stating that customers with receipts who were covered by the agreement were eligible for refunds.  Citgo's Food Mart of Lithonia was fined an additional $1,000 for its failure to post consumer restitution notices as required by the settlement document.

OCA put hundreds of stations on notice of the provisions of the price-gouging statute in order to avoid future violations.  The agency, which had received more than 2,000 consumer complaints or inquiries about price gouging or gas shortages, has completed about two-thirds of its investigations.

The recent settlements include the following businesses:

• ElbertonShell, 118 North Oliver Street, Elberton, Georgia - Restitution plus $2,000 fine
• Hub Chevron, 12805 Highway 278 S.E., Social Circle, Georgia - Restitution plus $500 fine
• Murphy USA #7220, 2691 Chastain Meadows, Marietta, Georgia - Restitution plus $4,000 fine
• First Stop, 1901 Gordon Highway, Augusta, Georgia - Restitution plus $3,500 fine
• Wheeler Road Amoco, 3745 Wheeler Road,  Augusta, Georgia - Restitution plus $2,500 fine
• McKenzie Ole Country Store, 3225 Faceville Highway, Bainbridge, Georgia - Restitution plus $2,000 fine
• Thomasville Travel Center, 2685 US Highway 84 Bypass W, Thomasville, Georgia - $697.16 fine
• Phillips 66, 6141 Highway 85, Riverdale, Georgia - Restitution plus $500 fine
• Petro Truck Stop, 10200 Old Federal Rd., Carnesville, Georgia - Restitution only
• Shell, 560 North Main Street, Alpharetta, Georgia - Restitution plus $4,400 fine
• Country Boys Petro, 410 West Crawford Street, Colquitt, Georgia - Restitution plus $4,000 fine
• Crook's Hit n Run, 7814 Wells Street, Senoia, Georgia - Restitution plus $500 fine
• Quick Pantry BP, 301 South Oak Street, Eatonton, Georgia - Restitution plus $1,000 fine 
• Nic's Quick Stop, 1201 East Shotwell Street, Bainbridge, Georgia - Restitution only
• Exxon Market Place, 4515 Hartley Bridge Road, Macon, Georgia - Restitution only
• Stop N Go, 1319 South Patterson, Valdosta, Georgia - Restitution plus $2,000 fine
• Hilltop Kountry Korner, Inc., d/b/a Speedway Citgo, 7475 GA Highway 122, Thomasville, Georgia - Restitution plus $4,350 fine
• Covington Highway Food Shop, LLC, d/b/a Exxon, 5400 Covington Highway, Decatur, Georgia - Restitution plus $3,000 fine 
• Bull Dogs #1, 310 West Main Street, Lakeland, Georgia - Restitution plus $750 fine 
• Cousins Texaco, 3750 Campbellton Road SW, Atlanta, Georgia - Restitution plus $1,500 fine
• Shell Food Stop and Go, 11141 Highway 92, Woodstock, Georgia - Restitution plus $1,000 fine
• St. Clair's #9, 12503 Highway 441 North, Cisco, Georgia - Restitution plus $500 fine  
• Apex Express, 470 North Avenue, Athens, Georgia - $1,000 fine
• Bain Auto Service Center, 201 Remington Avenue, Thomasville, Georgia - Restitution plus $3,800 fine
• El Cheapo, 805 N. Downing, Musgrove Highway, Glennville, Georgia - Restitution plus $1,000 fine
• Pawpaw's BP, 1485 Highway 92 North, Fayetteville,  Georgia - Restitution only
• Big Gun Food a/k/a BP, 4993 Highway 17, Canon, Georgia - Restitution plus $1,000 fine
• Buddy's Sunoco, 3121 Villa Rica Highway, Dallas, Georgia - Restitution only
• Lion's Den Superstore, 863 Cassville White Road, Cartersville, Georgia - Restitution plus $1,150 fine
• Granny's Country Store, 316 Smith Ave., Thomasville, Georgia - Restitution plus $6,000 fine, which was assessed jointly against this station and L&G Food Mart #2, L&G Food Mart #3, and L&G Food Mart #4
• L&G Food Mart #2, 401 North Madison Street, Thomasville, Georgia – Restitution plus $6,000 fine, which was assessed jointly against this station and Granny's Country Store, L&G Food Mart #3, and L&G Food Mart #4
• L&G Food Mart #3, 107 Albany Road, Thomasville, Georgia – Restitution plus $6,000 fine, which was assessed jointly against this station and Granny's Country Store, L&G Food Mart #2, and L&G Food Mart #4
• L&G Food Mart #4 (Shell), 1250 U.S. Highway 84-E, Cairo, Georgia – Restitution plus $6,000 fine, which was assessed jointly against this station and Granny's Country Store, L&G Food Mart #3, and L&G Food Mart #2
• Hud's Mini Mart #2, 995 U.S. Highway 84-E, Cairo, Georgia – Restitution plus $4,000 fine, which was assessed jointly against this station and Hud's Mini Mart #3
• Hud's Mini Mart #3, 2499 U.S. Highway 319 S, Thomasville, Georgia – Restitution plus $4,000 fine, which was assessed jointly against this station and Hud's Mini Mart #2
• Panola Food Mart Shell, 2983 Panola Road, Lithoina, Georgia - Restitution plus $2,600 fine
• Pollard's Corner Store, 6007 Clarks Hill Road, Appling, Georgia - Restitution plus $2,500 fine, which was assessed jointly against this station and Jet Food Store #69, Jet Food Store #47 (BP), and BP
• BP, U.S. Highway 441 South, Douglas, Georgia - Restitution plus $2,500 fine, which was assessed jointly against this station and Jet Food Store #69, Jet Food Store #47 (BP), and Pollard's Corner Store
• Jet Food Store #69, 2783 North Columbia, Milledgeville, Georgia - Restitution plus $2,500 fine, which was assessed jointly against this station and BP, Jet Food Store #47 (BP), and Pollard's Corner Store
• Jet Food Store #47 (BP), 203 South Marcus Street, Wrightsville, Georgia - Restitution plus $2,500 fine, which was assessed jointly against this station and BP, Jet Food Store #69, and Pollard's Corner Store
• Jay's Food Mart, 3585 Thompson Bridge Road, Gainesville, Georgia - Restitution plus $1,500 fine
• Sugar Hill Texaco, 5905 Suwanee Dam Rd., Sugar Hill, Georgia - Restitution only
• Union City BP, 4350 Jonesboro Road, Union City, Georgia - Restitution plus $2,000 fine
• Mona Food Mart, 1340 Highway 113 SW, Cartersville, Georgia – Restitution plus $1,000 fine
• Goasis, 185 Dungeness Drive, Brunswick, Georgia - Restitution plus $4,000 fine, which was assessed jointly against this station and Travel Centers of America in Cartersville and Petro Stopping Center in Kingsland
• Travel Centers of America, 981 Cassville White Road, Cartersville, Georgia - Restitution plus $4,000 fine, which was assessed jointly against this station and Goasis in Brunswick and Travel Centers of America in Cartersville
• Petro Stopping Center, 1115 East King Avenue, Kingsland, Georgia - Restitution plus $4,000 fine, which was assessed jointly against this station and Goasis in Brunswick and Petro Stopping Center in Kingsland  
• Mr. Pipps, 412 East Third Street, Donalsonville, Georgia – Restitution plus $4,000 fine, which was assessed jointly against this station and Mr. Pipps of Bainbridge listed below
• Mr. Pipps, 875 Colquitt Highway, Bainbridge, Georgia – Restitution plus $4,000 fine, which was assessed jointly against this station and Mr. Pipps of Donalsonville listed above
• BP am/pm, 575 Ernest Barrett Parkway West, Kennesaw, Georgia - Restitution only
• Tank & Tummy's, 233 West Railroad Street, Pelham, Georgia - Restitution plus $250 fine
• One Stop #3, 3245 Inner Perimeter Road, Valdosta, Georgia - Restitution plus $250 fine
• Grands Sunoco, 4689 Ridge Road, Douglasville, Georgia – Restitution plus $3,500 fine
• Petro South, 103 West 3rd Street, Donalsonville, Georgia - Restitution plus $5,000 fine
• Metro Petro, 8899 Highway 54, Sharpsburg, Georgia – Restitution plus $1,500 fine 
• Braelinn Village Chevron, 1234 Robinson Road, Peachtree City, Georgia – Restitution plus $2,000 fine 
• Quick Buys #118, 208 South Broad Street, Cairo, Georgia – Restitution plus $5,000 fine, which was assessed jointly against this station and the Citgo station of Thomasville, Georgia listed below
• Citgo, North Pinetree and Country Line Road, Thomasville, Georgia – Restitution plus $5,000 fine, which was assessed jointly against this station and Quick Buys #118 of Cairo listed above  
• Bishop's Travel Center, 7827 Tallahassee Highway, Attapulgus, Georgia - Restitution plus $3,000 fine
• J&P Shop & Stop, 630 West Jackson Street, Thomasville, Georgia – Restitution plus $700 fine
• Clyde's Market 57, 3100 Lanes Bridge Road, Jessup, Georgia – Restitution plus $1,400 fine
• Pilot Travel Center #70, 7001 Highway 21, Port Wentworth, Georgia - Restitution plus $20,000 fine, which was assessed jointly against the 9 Pilot locations listed here  
• Pilot Travel Center #319, 244 Connector 3 Southwest, Dalton, Georgia - Restitution plus $20,000 fine, which was assessed jointly against the 9 Pilot locations listed here
• Pilot Travel Center #421, 142 Carbondale Road, Dalton, Georgia - Restitution plus $20,000 fine, which was assessed jointly against the 9 Pilot locations listed here
• Pilot Travel Center #65, 4091 Jimmie Dyess Parkway, Augusta, Georgia – Restitution plus $20,000 fine, which was assessed jointly against the 9 Pilot locations listed here
• Pilot Travel Center #67, 968 Cassville White Road, Cartersville, Georgia – Restitution plus $20,000 fine, which was assessed jointly against the 9 Pilot locations listed here
• Pilot Travel Center #422, 1645 Highway 29 South, Newnan, Georgia – Restitution plus $20,000 fine, which was assessed jointly against the 9 Pilot locations listed here
• Pilot Station #416, 2201 East 16th Avenue, Cordele, Georgia – Restitution plus $20,000 fine, which was assessed jointly against the 9 Pilot locations listed here
• Pilot Station #66, 5888 Highway 53, Braselton, Georgia – Restitution plus $20,000 fine, which was assessed jointly against the 9 Pilot locations listed here
• Pilot Station #68, 2185 U.S. 441, Dublin, Georgia – Restitution plus $20,000 fine, which was assessed jointly against the 9 Pilot locations listed here
• Chevron, 400 N. Cobb Parkway, Marietta, Georgia – Restitution plus $2,000 fine
• Citgo, 2900 Evans Mill Road, Lithonia, Georgia – Restitution plus $2,000 fine
• Leon's Food Mrt, 5410 Matt Highway, Cumming, Georgia – Restitution plus $1,400 fine
• Super Speedzone, 678 North Expressway, Griffin, Georgia – Restitution plus $2,500 fine
• Kroger, 3139 Highway 278 NW, Covington, Georgia - Restitution plus $4,000 fine, which was assessed jointly against the 3 Kroger locations listed here.
• Kroger, 2325 Bethel View Rd., Cumming, Georgia - Restitution plus $4,000 fine, which was assessed jointly against these 3 Kroger locations
• Kroger Fuel Center, 3651 Peachtree Parkway, Suwanee, Georgia - Restitution plus $4,000 fine, which was assessed jointly against these 3 Kroger locations 
• Lakeview Grocery, 3970 North Expressway, Griffin, Georgia – Restitution plus $1,500 fine 
• Super Express, 3150 Wrightsboro Rd., Augusta, Georgia – Restitution plus $5,000 fine
• Shell, 3794 Bouldercrest Road, Ellenwood, Georgia – Restitution plus $1,000 fine
• Coastal Gas Station, 935 Dallas Highway, Douglasville, Georgia – Restitution plus $750 fine
• Oak Foods, 500 North Oak Street, Valdosta, Georgia – Restitution plus $2,500 fine  
• Zetella Express, 4289 Highway 16 West, Griffin, Georgia – Restitution plus $2,500 fine
• Adel Truck Plaza, 1503 West Fourth Street, Adel, Georgia – Restitution plus $10,000 fine
• Shell (Top of the Ridge), 2874 Ridge Road, Douglasville, Georgia – Restitution plus $1,000 fine
• Aden's Minute Mart # 42, 1126 Bowens Mill Road, Douglas, Georgia – Restitution plus $1,000 fine
• Aden's Minit Market # 50, Georgia Highway 111, Meigs, Georgia – Restitution plus $750
• Aden's Minute Market # 52, 2067 U.S. Highway 19 SE, Pelham, Georgia – Restitution plus $1,000
• Stop N Shop #2, 3107 Lanes Bridge Road, Jessup, Georgia – Restitution plus $500
• Fillers #22, 801 Georgia Highway 96, Warner Robins, Georgia – Restitution only
• Fillers #24, 101 Marshallville Road, Perry, Georgia – Restitution only
• Marathon Ashland, 1325 South Main Street, Cedartown, Georgia – Restitution only
• Ashley's Convenience Store, 6001 Ogeechee Road, Savannah, Georgia – Restitution plus $3,000
• Executive Park Chevron, 2911 Buford Highway, Atlanta, Georgia – Restitution plus $5,000

The Governor's Office of Consumer Affairs appreciates the work and contributions provided by the Department of Agriculture and local law enforcement officials in this endeavor.